As a result of the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, recent times have seen discussion of various possibilities for the generation of energy from alternative resources. DE102008031437.4 describes how, using electropositive metals, it is possible to create completely recyclable energy circuits. These circuits were set out in more detail in WO2012/038330 and WO2013/156476. In the energy circuits described therein, the discharge of energy is accomplished through the burning of electropositive metals, such as lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium or else aluminum or zinc, in a gas atmosphere such as, for example, air or else carbon dioxide (CO2).
The reaction of the electropositive metal with the reaction gas and the initiation of the reaction are both challenges inherent in these methods. Customarily, electropositive metals and especially alkali metals are ignited thermally. The metal is heated to the required ignition temperature by means of a gas flame or electrical heating. Alkali metals are also capable of self-ignition, and on contact with water, in the case of rubidium and cesium, simple air contact is enough to make this happen, for example.
Another area of use of the burning of metals is in aerospace technology. Here, among other species, metals serve as propellant for solid-fuel rockets. Ignition here takes place generally thermally by means of an ignition charge, which generates heat by burning.